


home is where the heart is

by counnt



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, M/M, One Shot, continuation of 1x04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 10:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9890048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/counnt/pseuds/counnt
Summary: "Where are you gonna go live now?""I'll figure it out, Dad. I always do."Now that Twilight Drive-In has closed, Jughead is left without a home. He's forced to travel around Riverdale in search of a place to live and finally settles at his old friend Archie's house.





	

"Where are you gonna go live now?"  

"I'll figure it out, Dad." Jughead starts walking, a look of determination already on his face. "I always do."

He leaves Twilight Drive-In, his only shelter and the last standing artifact of Old Riverdale, behind once and for all as he briskly walks past the row of South Side Serpents' motorcycles, pausing only to look at his father's. It's the very model he used to ride on as a child, before he understood the concept of gangs and betrayal.   

The pack on Jughead's back is heavy, but it's not weighing him down. Jug is committed to the contents that lie inside, items carried with him his whole life. The very things that make up his home.  

As he trudges along the well-worn street, Jughead thinks about a possible solution, a possible place he might be able to stay. Veronica's too pushy and rich, in his honest opinion. Kevin... Well, Kevin... What does he even really know about Kevin besides the fact that he's a desperate romantic? And then there's Archie, but no. He's not actually an option. As much Jughead just wants to run and rebuild their friendship, he knows he shouldn't.  

Betty is going to be his first stop.  

She's kind, caring, smart, and responsible, all fine traits of a possible roommate. Though Jug has carried a suspicion that she likes him a bit too much for a few weeks now. No matter. Betty can just neglect those feelings because he's certainly not interested.  

Her neighbourhood is wonderful, seemingly even perfect. Well manicured lawns, lack of litter, freshly painted houses. Even the smell of barbeque and the sound of a far away lawnmower adds to the image of a place out of the American dream. It's a new experience for Jughead, even with all of his lurking and detecting for the novel he's currently working on. But he can get used to this. He'll make anything work.  

As Jughead waits for Betty to open the door after pushing the doorbell with his fist, he pops open a bag of chips. He gazes over at the house next door. Archie's house. Shoving handful after handful of chips into his mouth, he ignores a feeling of longing to just rush across Betty's front yard and pound on his old friend's door.  

Luckily, just as he pours the last of the crumbs into his mouth, Betty finally comes out of the house, preventing Jughead from doing anything irrational.  

"Juggie! What are you doing here?" Betty sounds rushed, as if she has millions of other things on her mind.  

She hastily shuts the door behind her and looks at Jug with swollen, red eyes. He can tell she isn't wearing any makeup, she probably took it all off due to an unknown circumstance. Betty's obviously been crying, it must be because of her intense mother or the whole Archie and Ms. Grundy situation. Jughead doesn't acknowledge it, though he knows Betty wants to share her feelings with someone.  

"I need somewhere to stay." A pause. Maybe that sounded a bit rude. "I don't... I don't have a home anymore," he clarifies, attempting to sound as sincere as he can.

Betty's expression changes from a confused, small smile to one of pity. "Oh, Juggie! I'm so sorry!"  

He frowns. Jughead doesn't want her - or anyone's - pity. He just wants a place to live, even temporarily. "It's fine."

A voice inside the house snaps, "Betty Cooper, get back here this instant! What do you think you're doing? Polly would always run away from our conversa--"

"Leave me alone!" Just the act of opening the door a crack and shouting brings tears to her eyes.  

Jughead sighs and pulls off the heavy pack, setting it on the ground beside him. His back had begun aching slightly. He needs an answer from Betty or else he's sure he's wasting his time.  

"I don't think you can stay here." She stares at him sadly.  

That was not the answer he expected. Jug had hoped... No, he was _sure_ she would say yes. But instead of panicking, he just swallows and says as nonchalant as he can, "C'mon, Betts. I won't be that much trouble."  

The door swings open, nearly hitting Betty and pushing her off balance. A woman, who Jughead assumes is her mother, steps out onto the porch wearing an intense frown. "Elizabeth Cooper. Who the _hell_ is this boy you're talking to?"

"This... This is Jughead, Mom."  

"I warned you. Didn't I, Betty? I told you to stay away from boys like this. Look at him. Just look, honey." Her eyes trail up and down Jughead in disgust. "This boy looks like he'll do things to people. Unspeakable things. He could be Jason's murderer!"  

"Jug is a kind, amazing guy, Mom! He's my friend!" By now, Betty has completely turned away from Jughead and faces her mother.  

He's about to ask again, maybe plead with them to let him stay. But instead, he just lifts his pack back on in defeat. Jughead is insistent, but to an extent. Besides, it's clear that Betty's mom wants nothing to do with him. Much like he wants nothing to do with his father.  

Without saying goodbye, as if the two would be able to even hear him over their shouting, Jughead turns and shuffles down the stone steps and back onto the sidewalk. Glancing at Betty once more, he can tell she's so involved in the argument she isn't aware that he left her property.  

Giving one last, forlorn look at Archie's house he begins walking in the other direction.  

To Veronica's mansion it is.  

*******

Not remembering exactly where it is, he's forced to pull out his map of Riverdale. Jughead and Archie would travel all over the small town and add all of their classmate's addresses down. When Veronica moved to here, Jug managed to catch a listen of 330 North Side, The Pembrook, and marked it down on the map.  

Her property is in its own wealthy division, the complete opposite of Betty and Archie's sweet little neighbourhood. Jughead feels even more out of place. Still, he continues trudging along and keeping an eye out for her house.  

It's at the end of a cul-de-sac, and doesn't appear to be as lavish and decorated as the others. Most likely because of Hiram's arrest and their newly found lack of money. It's still an extremely nice mansion, and a complete contrast to Betty's house. Instead of a simple design with pale paint and pristine white trim, it's beige and colosseum-like with various pillars and elaborate metal designs. Jug would never have thought to find himself in such a place, but he's sure he can adapt.  

Jughead reaches up and takes hold of the ornate knocker, pounding twice on the behemoth door. Before he even has a chance to blink, a friendly looking uniformed man opens the door.  

"Good evening, sir. What can I assist you with?"  

"Would Veronica Lodge happen to be home?" He feels like speaking somewhat politely is a must.  

"Yes, of course. Excuse me."  The butler softly closes the door, only to be a pulled open once more a moment later.  

Veronica stands in the doorway, wearing a tight red-lipped smile and one of her classic pearl necklaces. Her dark hair is slightly disheveled and she runs her hands through it before speaking. "Jughead... What brings you here?"  

He watches her eyes take in everything about him, from his permanently frowning face to the large pack he carries. Jughead doesn't enjoy people analyzing him like this and perhaps it's hypocritical since he's constantly studying others himself. But it's his job as a writer. Veronica does it purely to judge others.

She's no Cheryl, for she does have _some_ redeeming qualities. Being strong-willed and curious, for starters. In an alternate universe, Jughead is sure they would work well together because of this. And maybe they can learn to, if he's going to live in her house.  

"Could I stay with you," he thinks for a moment before continuing, "for a while, at least?"  

Opening her mouth to reply, she falters when a woman appears behind her. Hermione Lodge. Jug identifies her from the various pictures in news articles about Hiram's scandal. He detects recognition in her eyes. Somehow she knows him.  

"Veronica, please go back into the house."  

"Mom, why?"  

"Just do as I say," she ordered, narrowing her eyes at Jug. "This boy is related to a South Side Serpent."  

Without a word, Veronica turns, getting a final glimpse of Jughead as she looks behind her shoulder before walking away.  

Hermione looks deadly serious, with a faint growl in her voice, as she states, "You're FP's son."  

Jughead sighs and the pained expression on his face shows how he feels as he confirms. "Yes." Of course, someone had to bring his father into this.  

"My daughter clearly knows you, but if you _ever_ do _anything_ to get her into trouble, I will hunt you down. And the punishment will be unbearable.”  Hermione's mouth curls into a resolute frown.  "Never come to my house or bother me again. Do you understand?"  

"Yes."  

The door is slammed shut and Jughead groans inwards.  

Now he has no choice but to head to Kevin's.  

*******

Sheriff Keller's house is near the outskirts of town, in a community relatively similar to Betty and Archie's. The front yard is full of trees, shrubbery and miscellaneous potted plants, along with a nice lawn. An overload of green, in Jughead's opinion. All of that combined with the light teal paint and blue-grey roof is definitely not aesthetically pleasing to him. But what does it matter? At least he'll have a shelter.  

Upon closer inspection, Jughead realizes that the door is ajar. Someone must have broken in. He might as well leave now. When he's halfway down the walkway, he stops.  

Jug's sleuth-like spirit gets the better of him.  

Looking around cautiously, he ambles back to the porch and slips through the door.  

There are folders of paper scattered all over the floor, leading him to a bulletin board with torn photos and hanging string. Half of one of those photos just happens to be Jason Blossom. This will work well in Jughead's novel, and he can't wait to start writing again. Rushing out of the house with an excited smile on his lips, Jug figures he shouldn't wait for Kevin and his dad to come home or they might question him about the break-in.  

As he walks away from the house, his smile fades. Jughead doesn't have close connections to anyone but Archie. And he's committed to finding a new home before the next day comes.  He's just going to have to face his fears and regrets and directly face his old friend.

*******

Yes, they've officially made up, but Jughead is scared to get too close to Archie. Afraid that, somehow, he'll manage to screw everything up again and they'll just drift away again.

It hurt when Archie canceled their Fourth of July road trip. Jughead was unbelievably sad and disappointed, even if he wouldn't admit it. Once school begun, those feelings started to go away, just as Archie did. He still couldn't comprehend the fact that his best friend since childhood, the nerdy redhead who always protected him, was hanging out with jocks. He felt betrayed.  

Jughead wanted to salvage what was left of their friendship, he truly did. But he didn't know how. What if Archie was a completely different person? And he quite possibly was, especially when Jug witnessed him with Ms. Grundy. But, because of that event, Archie had started to talk to him again, though usually only about little things.  He recalls the feeling he had when the redhead defended him against Reggie. Some of past, naïve Archie had somehow crept out. Only for a short time, of course. But still, Jughead was convinced his former pal was still in there somewhere.  

He pulled an apple from his pack and began nervously crunching whilst mentally preparing to talk to Archie. The sun is setting and his house is approaching fast, the familiar beige colour with white trim bringing back memories of their childhood together.

Letting out a quick breath, Jughead closes his eyes and reaches out a finger, pushing the doorbell. He's finished the apple and moved on to biting at his nails. The anticipation, the anxiety... It's killing him.  

The door opens, Archie smiles, and all of Jughead's insecurities somehow melt away.  

When they're both tired of the quiet staring, the redhead speaks. "Hey, Jug."

"H-hey, Arch."

"Wanna come in?"  

"I, uh..." Archie eyes must skip over the huge weight on his back and Jughead is glad. He's tired of people sympathizing and judging him and has had more than enough of that for one day. "I kinda need a place to stay."  

He missed this. Jughead missed it so much, the feeling of excitement when he steps foot inside Archie's house, how Vegas would jump on him and try to lick his face for any remaining crumbs, how he and Archie would automatically walk up to his bedroom.   

They entered the room and Jughead is relieved to see that it's as boyishly unorganized as he remembers. Archie sits on the bed and gestures to Jug, patting the spot next to him. "Put your stuff down. It looks heavy."  

Lightly setting his backpack down, he perches on the mattress a distance away from Archie. The redhead smiles to himself and rolls his eyes, scooching closer to Jughead.  

"So, how's it goin' with Grundy?" That just _had_ to be the only thing he could possibly think of saying.  

Archie's eyes flicker a bit. "She... Geraldine's gone. She had to leave Riverdale." He looks at Jughead as if expecting something.  

"Oh," is all he says.  

"I thought you'd be happy." The redhead lets out a light laugh. "Since you were always going on about how she's such a cougar."

"Well, aren't you sad?" He doesn't look sad. Archie just appears exhausted, but has a glow about him. The very glow he always carried when he and Jughead went on adventures together.  

"I guess I'm not." Archie stops, staring at Jughead. "You were right. We were never going to work out anyways. It just took her leaving to make me realize it."

"Anytime, buddy."  

They stay like this for a while. Just talking like friends do. Jughead tells him about what happened with Twilight Drive-In, Archie says he's getting prepared for a big performance with Josie and the Pussycats. It's late at night, later than Jughead would ever stay up on a school night. Mr. Andrews knocks before pushing the door open.  

"Hey, Jughead... I thought I heard you up here."  

"Hey."  

"Glad to see you boys back together." He grins. "Anyways, just wanted to say goodnight."  

"G'night," the boys say in unison.  

Looking directly at Archie, Mr. Andrews announces, "Yes, Jughead can stay," and prepares to stroll away.

Jughead almost whoops with joy and excitement. He's spent so much time trying to find a new home and it's finally paid off. And he's rooming with his friend at that. A boy he's known all his life, the only person he truly trusts. Jughead's no longer homeless, now he's got the best home in existence.  

*******

They decide it's best to get some rest.  

Pulling out the map, Jug finds a pen and neatly writes 'Home' under Archie's house.  

"I didn't pack anything to sleep on," he realizes, frowning as he turns around.  

Archie's already in bed, and instead of answering, simply moves over with a small smile. Hesitantly, Jug crawls beneath the covers. They used to do this every sleep-over, after stuffing themselves with s'mores and hot-dogs.  They'd just lay like this, mumbling bad ghost stories into the night and comforting each other when nightmares arrived. 

The light flickers off and moonlight streams in through the window. Jughead pulls off his beanie and clutches it to his chest, just as he's done ever since his mother passed. Archie was there for him then, and he still is.  

Before drifting off completely, Jug feels lips brush his forehead as an arm drapes around his back. Archie pulls him closer and Jughead can't prevent a smile from appearing. A small, close-lipped smile, yes. But it's real. It's the first he's truly smiled in a long time. 

Because Jughead _finally_ understands that wherever he is, wherever he goes, whatever happens in the future, his home will always be Archie Andrews.  

And he's irrevocably happy.  

 

**Author's Note:**

> Because I was in such a rush to post this before tomorrow's episode, it started getting kinda shitty and extremely cliche at the end (sorry lol). I'm not that familiar w/ the characters as I wrote this for a friend, but I hope it was alright. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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